Bulls halt record eight-year winning streak
The longest winning streak in Australian rules history has come to a halt but will likely stand for many years to come.
Yeppoon Swans won 128 games in a row, dating back to 2015, which included the last eight premierships.
Looking to make it 129 games in a row, they took on Glenmore Bulls at Stenlake Park.
The Bulls got a fast start, according to coach Tim Higgins and were able to hang on, winning by 19 points.
A five-goal game from former premiership coach Christian Burgess wasn’t enough to get the Swans to 129 games.
Swans president Peter Watkins said all streaks must come to an end.
“Looking at it, it was only a matter of time before someone did beat us but what the club has been able to do on and off the field is what we’ve focused on,” Watkins said.
“The players over those eight years, they grew up together, played junior footy together and stuck together to create such a team culture that led them to the success they had.
“Not just what they did, we have won other premierships in other grades.
“Our club has been successful on the back of the hard work everyone has put into it over the years and that created the winning culture.
“The pressure to keep the streak going from the outside will now no longer be there which makes things easier for the players.”
Higgins, who played his junior footy at Yeppoon before playing in the NEAFL, said a large crowd helped keep his Bulls focused.
“It was like they could feel something special coming along, every goal, every mark the crowd were just loud,” he said. “It was pretty special to knock them off. The boys were electric after the game, the club had such an awesome buzz around it Saturday night.”
The two clubs played off in the 2014 AFL Capricornia decider with the Bulls winning the premiership by 36 points.
The Swans, lost just one game in 2015, before starting their rampaging undefeated streak.
“We did a bit of research and the only thing we could find was a college football team had won 150 games in a row,” Watkins said.
“That is the biggest streak we could find, but we definitely have the biggest streak in the AFL now.”